Itinerary Check for 19 day Group Trip April 2024!

I will be traveling with 6 friends in April and will be our first trip to Japan. Our age range is mid 50’s to mid 70’s, all are well traveled and prepared to walk or hop in a cab. Love to experience culture, sights, gardens, nature, architecture and FOOD! We have mid level hotels booked and looking at a ryokan in Miyajima Island and would rather splurge on food or experiences.

We will try and stick together as much as we can with some guided tours but we’re prepared to split up as we know it will be hard to move around as 1 unit at some sights and some may want to opt out and rest or do their own thing. Most of us are early risers and with the time difference, we’ll likely wake up for early starts.

We’re looking at purchasing a 5 day Kansai Hiroshima pass and wanted to know if there is another regional pass that would cover the end of the trip or if we should just buy individual tickets.

Here’s our plan this far. I am the group planner and tend to over research. Haha Please LMK if anything looks unattainable and if you have any recommendations for restaurants that can accommodate groups, I’d appreciate it!

**Day 1 Arrive in Osaka (around 4pm)**

• Check in hotel near Namba station (Hotel Monterey Grasmere)

• Wander around neighborhood for dinner

**Day 2 Osaka**

• AM Guided food and market tour of Kuromon, Sennimachae & Dotonbori

• PM Hozen-ji, Namba Yasaka, shopping

• Tonbori cruise if we don’t pass out after dinner

**Day 3 Himeji to Miyajima**

• Early AM train to Himeji (start our 5 day Kansai Hiroshima Pass). Ship bags to Kyoto. Can we ask luggage transfer to hold luggage for a few days until arrival date?

• Himeji Castle & Garden tour

• Travel to Miyajima Island via shinkansen & ferry

• Walk around/relax

• Dinner at ryokan (hopefully at Grand Arimoto)

**Day 4 Miyajima to Hiroshima**

• Senjokaku

• Itsukyshima Shrine

• Omotosando shopping & eating

• Ropeway to Mount Misen

• Dasho-In Temple

• PM Travel to Hiroshima (Hotel Intergate)

**Day 5 Hiroshima**

• Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome

• Hiroshima Museum of Art

• TBD if time: Hiroshima Castle, Shukkien Gardens

**Day 6 Kyoto**

• AM shinkansen to Kyoto

• Nishiki Market for snacks

• Izakaya Cooking Class

• Stay at Mimaru Suite Kyoto Shoji 6 nights

**Day 7 Kyoto – Uji**

• AM train to Uji (last day of pass)

• Byodo-In

• Uji Tea Tour

• Ujigama jinja, tea shopping

• Head back to Kyoto

• PM Fushimi Inari (does anyone know the route that goes from the top down to the bamboo forest trail?)

**Day 8 Kyoto**

• Very early AM: Kiyomizudera, Ninenzaka, Sanenzaka street photography

• Chion-Ji Craft market (15th of every month)

• PM Flexible – shopping or Maruyama Park or Kyoto Imperial Palace & Garden

• Nijo Castle

• after dinner: Kodai-ji illumination

**Day 9 Kyoto – temple day**

• AM Ginkaku-ji, Honen-In, Nanzen-ji

• PM Sanjusangendo

• Roketsu fabric dyeing

• PM Gion & dinner

**Day 10 Kyoto – Nara**

• AM Breakfast at Lorimer?

• 11AM Aoniyoshi train to Nara

• Kofuku-ji, Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha (if time allows)

• Naramachi Street shopping

• Wagashi making?

• Dinner in Nara

**Day 11 – Kyoto – Kurama to Kibune**

• AM Kurama to Kibune hike (pending weather)

• PM Shoden-Ji or Sake tasting

**Day 12 – Kyoto to Kanazawa**

• AM Last minute shopping or sightseeing. Ship bags to Tokyo.

• Shinkansen travel to Kanazawa

• Check in hotel, happy hour (Hotel Intergate)

• Dinner at Omicho Market restaurant?

**Day 13 – Kanazawa**

• Early AM Kenrokoen Garden, Kanazawa Castle

• Nagamachi Samurai District

• DT Suzuki Museum , 21st C MOMA or craft experience at Ishikawa Local Products Center

• PM Higashi Chaya District

**Day 14 – Kanazawa**

All day Shirakawago-Hida Furukawa-Takayama day trip via

**Day 15 – Kanazawa to Tokyo**

• AM Omicho Market

• 10A Travel to Tokyo via Shinkansen

• Drop bags at hotel (Asakusa View Annex Rokku)

• PM Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park

• Mori Art Museum (late close today) & Observation Deck

**Day 16 – Tokyo**

• AM Tsukiji Outer Market tour & sushi class

• PM Ginza shopping

**Day 17 – Tokyo – Kamakura (is all this doable?)**

• Early AM train to Kamakura

• Tsugaoka Hachimangu

• Komachidori shopping & snacks

• Hokokuji & tea

• Zeniarai Benton , Sasuke Inari, Kotoko-In, Hasadera via hiking trail (pending weather)

• PM beach for dinner & sunset (weather permitting)

**Day 18 – Tokyo**

• Gotokuji

• Shirohige’s Cream puff factory

• Meiji-jingu, Togo Shrine, Ota Museum

• PM Wander & shop around Shinjuku & Shibuya

**Day 19 – Tokyo – home**

• Finish packing

• AM Senso-ji & area

• Leave for Haneda at 1PM via limo bus